The Surprise Visit
by Pacerpaw
Summary: One week before Christmas Lightning Lad gets a special visit. Saturn Girl and his friends are up to something and he doesn't know it. Post Losh S2. LL/SG, PG/TW, B5/Vi. Part 1 was written for Greenies Winter Holiday contest! Updated!
1. Chapter 1

**The Surprise Visit **

* * *

It was a week before Christmas and even the alien Legionnaires were caught up in the season spirit.  
Lightning Lad's people the Winathians were partly descendants of human space travellers but the  
Christmas holiday hadn't been completely forgotten, it was still celebrated by some descendants,  
including the Ranzz family.

It was around 6.30 in the morning in New Metropolis at the Legion Headquarters and Lightning Lad sat  
alone by a table in the large kitchen, staring at the cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal in front of him with  
sleepy eyes. The redhead wore his uniform but clearly hadn't combed his hair yet since it was even more  
unruly than usual.

He really wasn't much of a morning person and certainly not very alert before his first cup of coffee  
for the day. There were times he had poured coffee over his cereals instead of milk, something that  
never failed to amuse his friends.

His twin sister Ayla was pretty much the same way in the morning and their older brother Mekt had  
used to joke about it many years ago, before everything changed.

But a few months ago things had changed again, for the better. Ayla was back, Mekt had abandoned  
his super villain career and Imperiex and helped the Legion bring her back and then turned himself over  
to the heroes for his past crimes.

The brothers were no longer enemies but there were some remaining tensions after all those years  
but it was nothing they couldn't overcome now that the worst was put behind them. There was hope.  
There was _always_ hope.

"Good Morning, Sunshine!" said a familiar voice.

He blinked, sitting up a bit straighter in his chair as he turned his head to see Saturn Girl standing to his  
right holding a pink steaming mug of herbal tea.

"It looks like I should have brought a comb along," she teased, reaching out to touch his unruly red hair.

"Morning, Imra. A comb? What's _that_?" he grinned innocently.

Saturn Girl chuckled and bopped him on the arm playfully then sat down next to him with her cup.

"I heard you will be on the standby team that will stay here over the Christmas holidays this year,"  
she said in a more neutral tone.

"Yeah, it's my turn to be the team leader over the holidays this year," he replied looking a bit solemn  
for a moment before he put on his 'duty face' expression.

Imra reached out and put her gloved hand over his on the table, knowing exactly what bothered him.  
"I'm sorry you couldn't spend Christmas with your sister and your parents as you had hoped."

"Thanks Imra, but it comes with the choice to be a full time hero on a team that's always ready to  
fight bad guys. We can't always get what we want."

Garth sighed, remembering the look on Ayla's face when he told her that he couldn't come  
home for Christmas. She had said it was alright but Garth could tell she had been as sad  
about it as he was.

He had never regretted that he helped found the Legion of Superheroes team, or that he had been a  
part of it for so many years, but there were times he almost wished he was just an ordinary guy. Almost.

"Garth?"

Imra's voice brought him back from his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"We're getting a few visitors here at noon today and I was supposed to show them around,  
but Brainy needed my help to find someone telepathically and Rokk left for Braal an hour ago…."

"Wich leaves only me of the founding three to give the visitors an official tour of the headquarters,"  
he finished for her.

"It's not…_tourists_, is it?" he added and grimaced at the thought.

Imra couldn't help but smile at his expression. "No, they're not tourists, Garth."

"Alright, I'll do it," he said, looking so relieved that Saturn Girl had to hold back a giggle.

She got up and planted a kiss on his cheek and grinned as she saw him blush ever so slightly.

"Thanks Garth, I knew I could count on you," she said smiling sweetly as she left the room.

Garth sat there for a moment more though, smiling to himself. He wasn't going to wash that  
cheek that day that was for sure! Then he got up, put the cups and the bowl away and went  
to fetch a comb to tame his wild red hair with. _Or try to, anyway. _

_The things I do for the Legion._

---

A few hours later at 11.45 AM, Lightning Lad made his way to the entrance of the Legion Headquarters  
when suddenly a short, pale girl dressed in purple and black with a purple streak in her black hair  
bumped into him.

"Whoa, easy there Vi, what's the hurry?" he said to Shrinking Violet as he reached out  
to steady the Imskian.

She wore a new costume now and it was a lot like her old one but with purple and black  
instead of green and black. He caught himself starting at her a bit. She looked so much  
better in purple than in green.

"Oh, sorry, Lightning Lad. I just realised that I forgot to finish something In Brainy's lab this morning,"  
she replied, blushing slightly as the redhead seemed to like her new outfit. She hoped it would have  
the same effect and more on Brainy when he saw it.

Garth smirked as he imagined Brainy working with Saturn Girl and then Shrinking Violet entering  
dressed like that all of a sudden. _That _would most likely break the blond, green-skinned Coluan's  
concentration. As a humanoid Brainy had a harder time masking his emotions than ever before and  
It was pretty clear that he had a major crush on Shrinking Violet by now.

"Brainy's going to love your new outfit, Vi," he grinned and winked at her before he continued on his  
way to the main entrance.

Shrinking Violet blushed even more and smiled.

_You betcha, Sparky. _

Lightning Lad then met up with Timber Wolf who wasn't in a hurry and almost seemed amused when he looked at Garth.

"Is this where the fun tour begins?"

"Yeah, do you want to join the action packed adventure? We might even go look in the _laundry_ room!"  
Lightning Lad joked back.

"Garth, the visitors have arrived I can already hear them." Timber Wolf commented, glancing over at the large doors.  
He didn't move as Lightning Lad walked over to open the doors and he was smirking for some reason.

Garth mentally steeled himself preparing for a boring tour as he opened the doors.

He stared. And stared. Rubbed his eyes and then stared again and then exclaimed:  
"Ayla?! Mom? Dad? What the sprock? Woo hoo!"

"Surprise!" Ayla exclaimed and started to laugh as she ran towards her brother.

He dashed out and swept up Ayla in a bear hug and swung her around, then brought her along  
as he went over to hug his parents as well.

"It's so good to see you again, son!" Luc Ranzz grinned and patted him on the back as they hugged.

Perla Ranzz ruffled her youngest son's hair and smiled when it was her turn to get hugged.

"It looks like Miss Ardeen came up with a plausible plot for you to come out here, dear."

Garth looked toward the doorway where Timber Wolf was standing and beside him Phantom Girl  
had appeared, smiling ever so sweetly. They had been in on it too, no doubt about it.

"You were all in on it? Ahh, but I can't argue with the results," he said and grinned brightly as he looked back  
to his parents and at Ayla who was still clinging to him happily.

The only person missing now was Mekt but at least Garth had a few free hours to visit him the week  
before and their parents and Ayla had went to see Mekt once a month since he was put there.

Ayla looked at the raven haired girl with the small pupils curiously and her eyes widened a bit and she  
gasped when she looked at the werewolf like male by her side. Mrs and Mr Ranzz had met Timber Wolf  
years ago and Phantom Girl years before that.

Garth gestured at Tinya and then Brin as he introduced them to Ayla.

"Ayla, this is Phantom Girl and Timber Wolf. Timby looks a bit intimidating but he's a nice guy…and he bakes the best cookies,"  
he added and grinned.

"Is that a marriage proposal, Garth?" Timber Wolf smirked.

Garth laughed at that. "Sure, why not, but Tinya would haunt me about it!"

"And you forgot to mention he's a real comedian," Tinya added and whapped Brin lightly on the arm.

"So is Sparky," Tinya said as she nodded in Garth's general direction.

"So, mom, dad, Ayla let's go get your bags and I'll show you the guest rooms on my floor?"

"That sounds good, dear. We've had a long trip and would like to wash up a bit," said his mother.

Garth grabbed Ayla's bag, still holding his little sister with his other arm while Luc and Perla picked up their  
bags and followed their daughter, their youngest son and his friends inside.

_This is just what I wanted this Christmas. _Ayla thought. They were of different ages now because of what  
had happened but they were no less twins.

_This is all I ever wanted for Christmas. _Garth thought and simply couldn't stop smiling.

He vowed to kiss Imra the moment he saw her, mistletoe or no mistletoe. This called for one serious wet  
one right on the lips and no mistake!

---

Once the Ranzz'es had been given rooms and everything they needed for their stay, Garth flew over to  
Imra's quarters and knocked at her door.

"_Come in Garth, I thought you'd come here to look for me"_

He heard her calm voice in his head and smiled as he opened the door.

"_Imra, I wanted to thank you" _he thought back to the telepath as he saw her standing there smiling at him.

Then he seemed to run out of words. Electric blue eyes met pink sapphire eyes. Garth wrapped his  
arms around her in a hearty hug and she responded by hugging him back.

He tilted his head a bit to the side and she tilted her head a bit to the other side, sensing what he wanted to do.  
They kissed for the very first time and there wasn't even a single mistletoe in sight but It just didn't matter.  
All they needed was each other.

* * *

This first part was written for the Legion of Superheroes Winter Holiday contest hosted by Greenie here on FF net.  
I had hoped to finsih it a lot sooner but i kept getting distracted by Christmas preparations and other things and  
couldn´t quite sit down and focus for very long. Until it was very late and past midnight in my timezone . Zzz.

Now that the finalists have been revealed i've decided to write a follow-up, second chapter thats not part of  
the contest. I have so much more winter holiday fun and drama that i want to get out of my system before  
new year's eve. :-)

I want to thank Cleome for telling me what Mr and Mrs Ranzz first names are in the comics.

As always comments are apprechiated and flames are not.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**

* * *

**

Ayla was the first of the visiting Ranzzes to wash up and leave the guest-rooms while Luc and Perla began their unpacking.  
She looked like an ordinary red-haired eight year old girl, but her story was an unusual and complex one. She had spent a  
decade of her life as a living storm and not quite been aware of time as other people had experienced it, so she hadn't  
aged a day.

When she was brought back she had been overjoyed to be home, but there had been a lot to get used to and a lot of  
catching up to do, especially when she returned to school. All her old friends were the same age as Garth now and it  
just wasn't the same. They were old enough to be her babysitters, not playmates.

The love and support from her parents, Garth and Mekt had helped get her through the first confusing months, but it  
still took some getting used to. She had also befriended Deira on the neighbouring Alden farm and even had  
a sleepover.

The girl wandered the halls in search of Garth and looked at the doors she passed. "Timber Wolf," she read out loud on  
one door and "Chameleon Boy," on another. Chameleon Boy? She saw an image of a chameleon lizard in her mind's eye  
and giggled as she continued her search. Then the door suddenly opened behind her and an orange-skinned boy  
wearing a green and black uniform stepped out. He was hairless and had antennae.

_A Durlan. _

Reep had heard someone say something outside and curiously went out to see who it was. It was a very familiar looking  
redhead girl that could only be one person: Lightning Lad's sister Ayla.

"Hi there, you must be Ayla, Lightning Lad has talked a lot about you. I'm Reep but they call me Chameleon Boy or Cham,"  
he said and beamed a friendly grin at her.

"Yes, the one and only. Cool name by the way. Hey, have you seen my brother around? He said he had to go do  
something and that he wouldn't be long."

"He probably went to talk to Saturn Girl." _I bet._

"Saturn Girl? Oh right his friend from Titan. Do you know where she is then?"

"She's probably in her room. Come on I'll show you where it is," Cham said and led the way.

--

Meanwhile Garth and Imra were still standing in the doorway to her quarters, completely wrapped up in their embrace  
and in the moment. Time however, would not stand still - it just felt like it did. The feelings that had never been confessed  
in speech or communicated in thoughts had been growing between them for years. This was a step closer to what they  
wanted and soon they would stop kissing and say….

"Garth?!"

"Whoa!"

The pair interrupted their kissing session and stared in unison with blushing faces at the equally surprised eight year  
old girl and the awkwardly grinning Cham beside her.

"Um, so have you told Ayla you don't mind cooties anymore?" Cham joked.

_Cham!_ Saturn Girl thought to the young Durlan, trying to regain her composure.

Lightning Lad gave his orange friend a _look_ before he looked back to his sister. Almost as if by reflex, he brought  
a hand to the back of his head while he tried to think of something good to say to his twin.

_What should I say? "'No it wasn't what it looked like?" Riiight. Sprock!  
_

"Ayla…hm this is Imr...Saturn Girl," he blurted out and grinned sheepishly, cringing at how _that_ sounded.

Ayla looked at her brother and the blonde telepath, at first not sure what to say.  
Her brother acted so _different_ now – he wasn't even bothered by cooties!

"Is she your girlfriend?"

Imra and Garth blushed even more at that direct question.

"We're friends but…it's kind of complicated," Garth explained.

"Yes, very _complicated,_" Saturn Girl chimed in and smiled sheepishly.

Ayla giggled at their expressions. "If you can stand the cooties it _must_ be," she commented  
and heard Cham chortle to her right.

Garth gave Cham a long and wary look. "If you tell any of the others about this, I'll pelt you so much with  
snow that the kids in the neighbourhood will mistake you for the new Frosty the snowman."

Cham smiled and held up a hand in a mock serious manner. "I Reep Daggle of Durla solemnly swear to  
never utter this to a living soul…unless I'm a safe distance away from Lightning Lad and anything that  
resembles snow!"

Garth just rolled his eyes at him. "Seriously, Cham…don't tell anyone, okay?"

"At least not yet, you know how enthused Tinya gets about things like this. Not to mention Trip and Vi.  
We'd be pelted with more questions than snow this Christmas if they found out!" Saturn Girl chimed in.

"Okay I won't tell them, but you know Tinya, she has her ways to find things out. She has access to  
Brin's arsenal of cookies in her eternal crusade to uncover every juicy secret," he smirked.

Ayla blinked at the exchange and covered her mouth to muffle another giggle.  
"Is it always like this at Legion Headquarters?"

"Even better, almost never a dull moment around here. If you don't count Brainy's one hour safety lectures  
after every Lab and HQ upgrade," Garth told her and smirked.

Imra elbowed him lightly for that and smiled knowingly.

Cham chuckled. Their green skinned friend meant well and he was an invaluable asset to the team but it was  
true that there were times he could become a bit too long winded when it came to lectures or information.  
But they were just glad he had returned to them after a few months. Most of the Legionnaires suspected that  
Violet had everything to do with his early return and Cham was one of them. His thoughts were interrupted by  
the sound of a grumbling stomach and he glanced over to Garth.

"Soo, is anyone else hungry?" Garth grinned and gestured toward the far end of the hallway.

"If there's some of Brin's cookies left in the kitchen, I guess I have room for a snack," Cham replied.

"Make that two snacks, you're growing like a sprout of Winathian Sapweedling," Garth teased.

Cham chuckled, he was now fifteen years old and he had rapidly grown five centimetres the past two months and  
had to replace most of his wardrobe. Durlans had more intense growth spurts in periods than most growing  
teenage humanoids had in a year.

"So did you Garth, and you ate even more than Cham as I recall," Saturn Girl reminded him with another  
knowing smile.

"Yeah but I needed more protein for my training."

"I'm hungry too, let's go see the kitchen," Ayla urged and tugged at her brother's hand.

"Yeah but don't forget to wash your hands before you eat," he told her and earned amused glances from  
Imra and Cham. His brows went up a bit at their reaction. "What?"

"You sound like a parent," Cham explained and snickered.

Garth sheepishly ran a hand though his red hair.  
"Well she needs to wash them sooner or later anyway, doesn't she?" he defended.

Saturn Girl chortled at that and led the way as they headed for the kitchen.

---

Three days later, Garth's parents and Ayla had settled in a bit and acted as if it was a real vacation as well as a visit.  
The farm was in good hands and since a lot of things were automated it wasn't a big deal for the substitute farm  
worker to look after.

Ayla seemed to love the place and Garth, Cham, Violet and the others had told her a lot about the place and the  
background of the Legion itself and some of their adventures. But every time she looked at her brother's arm she  
was reminded that his life as a hero came with a price. He had told her that he had lost it after he was targeted by  
Imperiex but he hadn't told her why the villain had gone after him first that day and not the clone of Superman, Kell.  
She sensed that Garth didn't want to talk about it and had decided to let it be and ask him some other time when  
he was ready.

Imra and Garth were sometimes seen together, speaking about something or other but kept their now closer  
affections in private for the time being for the reasons they had told Cham and Ayla. At first it felt very romantic  
to keep their little secret but then it started to get a bit frustrating and they decided to tell everyone on Christmas  
day and make it official that they were dating.

But things had a way of becoming very complicated sometimes and this time was no exception. Just after a late  
supper when he, Imra, Violet and Brainy were going through the details for who on the current roster should go  
on two minor missions, Cosmic Boy walked in.

"Cos, you're back early," Saturn Girl commented with a smile and went over to hug him.

Lightning Lad felt an old familiar pang of jealousy when she hugged Rokk - but he reminded himself that he  
was the one Imra had kissed and wanted to date, not Cos. He smiled at the thought. More than anything  
he wanted to tell her what he had shown but never said, those three words that were easy and yet so  
complicated to say. Everything had moved along so quickly and he almost wanted to pinch himself to make  
sure it wasn't just a dream.

Cos shrugged. "It's nice to be back, no big crisis happened while I was gone I hope?"

"No Cosmic Boy, nothing major at all just a few minor incidents," Brainy commented with a shrug before  
his attention went back to Violet.

Cosmic Boy looked at Garth and noticed that the red-head seemed to muse over something.  
"You seem to be in a good mood, Garth. Imra told me that your parents and sister are here on  
a visit when I talked to her over the communicator yesterday."

"Yeah, it was something she had arranged, but she probably told you that already," Garth said with a shrug.  
He felt a bit awkward because there was a time when Cos would have taken the time and had the interest  
to be in on surprises like that. But their friendship wasn't as solid as it had been once. Imra and the Legion  
was the glue that held them together these days.

Ayla came up beside her brother and nudged him. "Garth, is that the Rocky guy you told me about?"

Cosmic Boy raised a brow and looked from Garth to Ayla and then back again.

"Yeah Ayla, this is Rokk Krinn, the other old friend I told you about," Garth said in an affectionate, slightly  
amused tone of voice and gently ruffled his sister's red hair.

"And you must be Ayla," Cos said with a wry little smile. He was tired after the journey and it was getting late.

Ayla nodded. "And you look like you didn't take your nap today," she commented in earnest.

Garth, Imra and Violet snickered at the comment and Cos resisted the urge to roll his eyes.  
"Err, no I didn't have time to…nap," he replied.

"Maybe you should learn how to take power naps?" Imra suggested.

"Maybe. For now I think I'll go and get a few hours solid sleep," he said, yawning.

"Do you want me to tuck you in?" Garth joked.

"Sure Garth and then maybe you could read me a bedtime story?" Rokk joked back dryly before  
he turned and left the room.

Violet snorted with laughter at their exchange, startling Brainy.

"Hey, Cos that was actually funny!" Garth called after him.

"Gee thanks Garth, does that mean I get a badge or something?" Cos joked back from the hallway.

Imra shook her head but it was out of amusement rather than frustration over their banter.  
_At least they didn't argue this time. I like it better when they just banter a bit, like they used to  
do when we were younger._

----

_TBC in chapter 3. As always, comments are __appreciated._


End file.
